Fifty one of the best anglers unite in the Red River, off the beautiful shores of Shreveport, Lousianna will compete in the 2009 Bassmaster Classic.

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of people will be a mouse click away, without a hook, line and sinker. Thanks to ESPN and it’s outdoor programming, internet users and fantasy junkies are getting yet another sport, in which fans get to play with the numbers.

The ESPN Fantasy Fishing Challenge, which awards the winner a guest appearance on it’s outdoor fishing show, plus many other prizes, is pushing the border line of fantasy sport and joke.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the expansion in the fantasy sports realm. I want to see other sports represented, and more people introduced into the wonder world of statistics, numbers and their involvement with competition.

But this isn’t the way to do it.

ESPN has continued to do a great job expanding it’s fantasy coverage. Their website has it’s own special section dedicated to fantasy sports.  Matthew Berry, Eric Karabell…. the list goes on and on.

But for a fantasy sports enthusiast like myself, this is just a way for ESPN to promote their outdoor netorking. While doing that, they are getting participation, but at the same time, they are turning the sport of numbers into one big gambling session.

And that is what I hate.

It’s not about winning prizes, the wonderful ’sport’ of fantasy management. It’s about bragging rights, strategy, and the pride of managing perfection.